finding a tutor for selective schools!

[kevkiki]

Hello!
I'm new to the scene but I would really appreciate any suggestions/ advice in finding a tutor for 11+ Grammar Schools in North London. I am told that one must go for tutors with a good success rate in getting children into selective schools i.e.QE Boys, Dame Alice, Latymer irrespective of their fees!Any truth in this?
My son is now in Y4 so I guess it's about the right time to look into it.
Pls. let me know if you know of any names/ ph. no.'s of good tutors in North London.
Thanks very much..

Well, some of it is down to how bright and capable your son is to be honest. Yes, most children are tutored for these tests, either by external tutors or their parents. But it is important to ensure that the tutor is a good match for your son rather than simply relying on a good track record (which may be self perpetuating eg tutor drops children who they think will damage their track record).

IMO it is important to find someone who is experienced in what is required, and who relates well to your son.

If your son is reasonably compliant, there is a lot that you can do at home with them instead of relying on a tutor.

Hi Kevkiki, what part of north london are you looking for a tutor in?

This is an excellent agency - a tutor's coop - based in Muswell hill

Here is the URL

londonhometutors.org/contact_us

Look on www.elevenplusexams.co.uk. They have a tutors section.

Also, ask your friends if they have any recommendations.

Good luck.

Tks everyone for your suggestions. We live in Barnet( East actually!)
How do you go about dealing with tutor agencies?
Yes we have started to do our bit with him. He is strong in Maths and good in English but needs support in English Comprehension and Creative Writing. I think a tutor at this stage will come in handy to support him with tips etc.. and the patience ..!!!
He is reasonably compliant but........
I have actually called 2 tutors one in Hornsey who has not got back and the other in Mill Hill who is full at the mo. but will( hopefully!) call in January. Do I wait for their call or start looking in the meantime anyways..o dear!
Anyways, will keep you all posted!
Tks. heaps once again!!!

Keep looking.

And don't wait for them to call you ... give them a call every now and again to check in, say hello and see if any of their current students have dropped out.

You could also try asking at your DC's school if they could recommend a tutor - although, in my experience schools as notoriously against doing this.

I wondered about getting a tutor for DD, but her teacher has discouraged the idea because he says it is all well and good if the child passes the entrance exam, but if they are always going to struggle at school afterwards, is it the right school for your child?

He uses this argument against tutoring for SATS as well because the local high school places children in classes based on their SATS results.

Bunbaker - I'd ignore the teacher's advice on this, unless you are thinking of tutoring her youself.

Everyone else is tutoring away. Not doing so might put a child at a disadvantage. Even if they are easily bright enough to cope with the work load once there, a lot of kids won't be at all familiar with the notion of sitting an exam.

Tutors can familiarise pupils with exam techniques, such as checking how many qus they need to answer and dividing the time accordingly; reading and rereading the question to make sure they understood it and are answering it; answering all the easier questions first, to make sure they get to the end, then going back to puzzle over the tough ones.

Also if they have NVR tests, it's useful for them to have played around with typical papers, to know what to except. The brain tunes into them - coming in cold on the day would be a huge disadvantage, even to a very clever child.

(Disclaimer: I am a tutor, so my PoV may be a teensy bit biased)

Tutoring a student so that they understand material is always good. Tutoring a student so they can pass an exam is sometimes good.

A good tutor can convince a student that they're not 'thick', they can do well and encourage them to make mistakes and explore.

There are plenty of tutor agencies around - Personal Tutors are probably the best known, but places like Tutor Hunt and First Tutors are also good.

Good luck!

Thanks everyone for all your suggestions. I must admit that I am sceptical about finding tutors on websites etc. I would really like a tutor by recommendation. I will keep looking and following up on those tutors who are really busy/full at this moment in time

The tutor that we used is based in Barnet . He was excellent and made the lessons informative and fun and always encouraged free thinking. My DS always looked forward to his lessons and the conundrums that he was given. We starting tutoring in the March before the 1st exam in October with most of the Summer off. The tutor never put DS under pressure to complete the test papers in the correct time and only did timed tests a couple of weeks before the exam. DS got the school that he wanted. I am new to this forum and do not know how to post a recommendation on a private message - does anyone know?

Hi Vttime
Thanks for your suggestions. I am new to this as well. I am happy to send an email if you dont' mind sending me yours..
tks!

kevkiki and vttime, try using teh new personal messaging feature. It is at the top of the screen, called "Inbox". You have to log in and then you will see "Inbox", then you can send a message by sending it to the username vttime

Thanks for that claig. Kevkiki I have sent a message to your inbox

Hello, I am new to posting. I wonder if anyone could help with recommending a good maths tutor in Barnet for my 7 year old son. He just needs a bit of extra help so that he doesn't fall behind when he starts Juniors!

Any recommendations would be gratefully received as I'm new to this tutoring world.

Wouldn't use the internet for a tutor. Ask around in the school car park what other parents do - but ask the year group ahead. People in your year can be a bit competitive (silent) about the best advice.

Ask a teacher or two also. They might have a contact. Always look for testimonials ? preferably from someone you know or can contact to check. One to one teaching usually helps.

For English ? you might want to Google Creative Writing Magic Money Cards

Hi Maree1

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll try the mums from the year above as not sure many will divulge from his year.

This is odd! Why are you putting such pressure on your children, I say this as a parent and an Assistant Head. My children, who over 16, both got all A* at GCSE, well DS1 got an A in Graphics, and DD1 is currently reading Medicine and we are waiting for DS1's AS results. What made them stand out was going to the theatre, being well read, sailing, climbing trees, playing a musical instrument etc etc. You would be better spending your time/money enriching their lives and having a lot of fun. Ultimately as parents our job is to make our children happy, confident adults, please remember your child is only 9. I see too many children damaged by parental aspirations, and I work at a highly rated school.